The three independent agency groups, Serviceplan, Hakuhodo and Unlimited, have signed a strategic alliance to offer existing clients and prospects a global presence based on regional expertise.

The global alliance between Serviceplan (headquarters in Munich, Germany), Japanese agency group Hakuhodo (headquarters in Tokyo, Japan) and Unlimited (headquarters in London, UK) will mean that the Serviceplan, Hakuhodo and the Unlimited Group alliance can respond to the increasing need for fully integrated communication services in the UK, Japan and South East Asia. The partnership also offers mutually beneficial expertise internationally across the alliance in creativity, media, data and technology.

The alliance will also add further locations in Asia to the Serviceplan Group in Japan, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, in addition to the Serviceplan Group’s own locations in China (Shanghai and Beijing) and Malaysia.

The three agencies are building joint teams to provide data driven, customer-centric, integrated solutions that will transform clients’ business around the world, with a presence in all major markets. The alliance will enable all three to serve existing clients and pitch for global business as a single unit, with a flexible approach to working together. Unlimited, Serviceplan and Hakuhodo have already teamed up for a pan European pitch due to take place in the first quarter of 2019.

UK-based digital agency group, Unlimited, and Europe’s biggest independent network, Serviceplan, have both worked on BMW for a number of years. Serviceplan has more than 4,000 employees in offices across Europe as well as in New York, Dubai, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Like Unlimited Group, Serviceplan, through its House of Communications, houses a number of specialist agencies across CRM, digital, research, PR and advertising. Hakuhodo has offices in 20 countries and regions across Asia, employing 10,000 people.

UK agency, Unlimited, completes the Serviceplan Group’s service offering in the UK. Unlimited and Serviceplan first signed a partnership agreement in 2014. Unlimited Group has 850 people in London, Bristol, Winchester and New York.

Florian Haller, chief executive officer of the Serviceplan Group, commented, “We are really excited about collaborating with one of the key players in South-East Asia. The affinity with our philosophy at Serviceplan was clear from our initial personal contact. As a result of this unique alliance between agency groups rooted in Germany, Japan and the UK, we can offer our clients the best service in the major economic region of South-East Asia.”

Tim Bonnet, President of the Unlimited Group, stated, “We have had a relationship with Hakuhodo and partnership agreement with Serviceplan for a number of years and as this grew in success, we are delighted to formalise this into a global alliance. We are really excited about the expanded offering and capabilities this will bring to our existing clients as well as the agile, innovative and data lead offering we can offer new clients on a global scale.”

Masayuki Mizushima Hakuhodo, president and chief executive officer of Hakuhodo, added, “In a time where our clients are faced with change as never anticipated before with the dramatic evolution of technology and acceleration of globalization, this strategic alliance with our longtime friends, the Unlimited Group and Serviceplan, is based on a firm belief and respect for the “sei-katsu-sha,”or living consumer — always taking on a central role where human emotions, thoughts and dreams reside. This belief leads us to an alliance that is built beyond the data-driven approach and elevated to reflect our “sei-katsu-sha” Consumer Driven – Data Proven positioning.”

Markus Noder, Managing Director of Serviceplan International, explained, “This global alliance is the next step in being able to provide our customers with a truly global service offering. Hakuhodo is a respected trans-national agency group in Asia and the number two in Japan. Furthermore, we already have a long history of success with the Unlimited Group.”

[Cover image l-r: Florian Haller, CEO Serviceplan; Masayuki Mizushima, president and CEO Hakuhodo; Tim Bonnet, president Unlimited Group.]